October 15 – Hebrews 5:7-10. Made Like Us.

October 15 – Hebrews 5:7-10. Made Like Us.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

I’m not sure if I fully understand the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.  It is difficult enough to comprehend the death that he faced, but he also faced life and everything that we face every day.

Before Jesus came to earth as an infant and took on human flesh, he was the Word of God, instrumental in creation, working as part of the Trinity.  He had been with the Father since the beginning of creation. There were no limits to all that He knew, saw and experienced.  No limits.

All of a sudden, He was thrust into the limitations of a human infant.  He was limited in the expansion of his brain, living with all of those limitations until it matured, just like ours does.  He was no longer omniscient (knowing all things), but limited to that which he could sense with his five senses, just like us.  He had to clothe himself and put up with bullies.  He felt anger at the mistreatment of people.  He had emotions that filled him to tears.  He was exhausted and burned out from constantly being surrounded by people who needed him.

He faced temptation and had to communicate with those who wanted to trip him up and make him look bad.

Everything that we face as humans, Jesus experienced.

Why? Because in being made like us, when he faced death, he conquered it for us.  His ultimate sacrifice allowed him to pass through the veil of heaven to the throne room of God, just as human high priests passed through the veil to the Holy of Holies.  When he did so, it was the ultimate and changed history so that it would never be necessary again for us to have an intercessor.  He had gone straight to God’s right hand and intercedes for us always.

He is the source of our salvation because he became like us and obeyed his Father.